Stags of South Molton reports a disappointing number entry which was very mixed and included a lot of ‘tail end’ hoggs sold to a very strong trade from start to finish.

All hoggs in demand, especially the well covered meat hoggs and weight paying throughout.

Lots of buyers going away with unfulfilled orders which indicates the trade is going to remain for a while, let’s just hope we are able to keep our doors open!

Quite a few plain hoggs forward but still some hogg buyers are looking to get extra numbers.

Most dirty hoggs now being bellied which also helps them to sell.

Top of the day at £159 for a super pen of 62.5kg Texel crosses from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham.

£156 to 63kg Texel crosses from Mr RE Brown of Stoodleigh with £155 to 63kg Closewools from Messrs S & J Bale of Challacombe.

£151 to Messrs Bolt’s second 61.7kg pen with 59kg Suffolk crosses from Mr DG Frankpitt of Bolham at £150.

£149 to 57kg Texel crosses from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton with £148 to 55kg Texel crosses again from the Bolt Family.

£146 to 57.5kg Texel crosses from Mr Brown’s second pen with £144 twice; both pens again from the Bolt family being 58kg Jacobs and 56.2kg Charollais crosses.

£142 to 66kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs EJ & ME Gay of Riddlecombe with £140 twice; the first to 67kg Charollais crosses from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey and the second to 58kg Charollais crosses from Mr RL Stanley of Stoodleigh.

£139.50 to 58.6kg Charollais crosses from Mr AE Chudley & Son of Romansleigh with £138 to Mr Westaway’s second 56kg Texel pen.

£137 to 55kg Charollais crosses from Mr EF Thorne of Tawstock with £136 twice; the first to 52.4kg Texel crosses from Messrs Mildon & Ley of Bishops Nympton and the second to 53.8kg Charollais crosses again from Mr Frankpitt.

Best pens to 269ppk to 55kg Texel crosses from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham with 268ppk to 47kg Texel crosses from Mr ACH Perryman of Black Dog.

266ppk to 40kg Closewools from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland with 265ppk to 46.1kg Texel crosses from Messrs MJ & DM Lake of South Molton.

263ppk to 48.4kg Pure Texels from Mr N Rottenbury of Heasley Mill with 261ppk twice; the first to 42.5kg Texel crosses from Mr RW Tapp & Son of South Molton and the second to 57kg Texel crosses from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton.

260ppk to 52.4kg Texel crosses from Messrs Mildon & Ley of Bishops Nympton.

258ppk to 44kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs LF & JM Heywood of Loxbeare with 256ppk to 56.2kg Charollais crosses from the Bolt Family.

255ppk twice; the first to 44.7kg Texel crosses from Mr ME Snell & Son of Knowstone and the second to 44.8kg Charollais crosses from Messrs G & P Kivell of Ashreigney.

254ppk three times; the first to 62.5kg Texel crosses from the Bolt family again; the second to 57.5kg Texel crosses from Mr RE Brown of Stoodleigh and the third to 59kg Suffolk crosses from Mr DG Frankpitt of Bolham .

253ppk again to Mr Frankpitt but this time with 53.8kg Charollais crosses.

252ppk twice; the first to 52.6kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs LF & JM Heywood of Loxbeare and the second to 42.9kg Suffolk crosses from Mr JK May of Eastleigh.

A smaller entry of store hoggs which were sold through the main ring and prices didn’t fall far behind the prime trade.

Top of the day at £104.50 to Suffolk crosses from Mr L Gillbard & Son of Black Dog with £100 twice; the first to Suffolk crosses from Mr JK May of Eastleigh and the second to Texel crosses from Mr ACH Perryman of Black Dog.

A slighter bigger entry of cull sheep this week and as good a quality of ewes that we have seen for a while.

Even so “What a trade!!” with the overall average standing at £109.17.

Again buyers complaining they could not buy enough or able to complete at the trade.

Best ewes all over £140 mark with runs of Suffolk Mules very well sought after.

Best Mules to £111 and all between £98-£110.

Plainer ewes a similar trade to previous weeks.

Top of the day and the best price seen for many years at South Molton at £183 for a super Pure Texel pen from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham.

£154.50 to another Pure Texel from Mr DW Ridd of West Buckland just a shade ahead of a Charollais from Mr D Smith of Chulmleigh.

£149.50 to Charollais’ from Messrs B & T Baker of Alverdiscott with £149 to Texels from Mr FR Chave & Son of Cruwys Morchard.

£145.50 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs IFJ & JC Harris of Beaworthy with £144.50 twice to similar ewes from Messrs Easterbrook & Partners of Yarnscombe and Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey.

£144 to another super run of Suffolk Mules from Mr G Mills & Partners Ltd of Witheridge with £142.50 for a pair of Texels again from the Bolt family.

Closely followed at £142 for similar bred ewes from the Chave Family this time with £141 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs JC & ME Barnes & Son of North Buckland. £140 six times; the first and second pens to Texels from the Bolt Family; the third to Suffolk Mules from Mr RL Stanley of Stoodleigh; the fourth to similar bred ewes from Mr DJ Govier & Partners of Chulmleigh; the fifth to Charollais crosses from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton and the sixth to Pure Charollais from Mr CF Rice of Challacombe.

A super show of rams with best to £146 for Blue Texel crosses from Mr C Moon of Cullompton who also had a pair of Pure Blue Texels at £141, the same value as a Berrichon from Mr N Rottenbury of Heasley Mill.

£139 to a Texel from Messrs IFJ & JC Harris of Beaworthy with £138 twice; the first to a Suffolk from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton and the second to Charollais from Messrs B & T Baker of Alverdiscott.